Tube cleaner



J. P. MARURI TUBE CLEANER 1 I Jan. 8, 1946.

Filed July 12 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I fisusfa/azae/asfllarari BY 4 m M m.

V'lllllllvlllllllll1 llllxlllllln HTYURIVEYS Jan. 8, 1946. J. P.YMIARURI 2,392,490

TUBE CLEANER Filed July 12, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

h k I \J I I I E fesuslaiazaeiosllamrz Patented Jan. 8, 1946 UNITE STATES PATENT oFFrcI-i Application July 112, 1944,, Serial No. "544,490

' In (flu'baflctober 227 1943 Claims (o1. 15-10434:

T in. p pose of 't'heinventionis to provide a simple, useful and easily handled'devlice for cleaning mot and other unwanted accumulations on steam boiler tubes or boilers of the so-called "water tube type; such cleaning being efiected more efficiently than by the usual methods employing steam blasts or jets.-

Further advantages of the invention will become evident from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to identical parts in all views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial front view of the device according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a detail, partly in section, of the device according to this invention in working position.

Fig. 4 shows in perspective another detailed view of the device according to this invention in operating position.

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of one of the elements of the invention.

And Fig. 6 is a perspective view partly broken away showing the device according to this invention With the several parts thereof shown in working position.

Numeral I designate a longitudinal tubular member having a relatively long substantially straight portion and a curved end portion I. Interiorly and movably disposed in tubular member I is a rod '2 at the end 2' whereof is joined a fiexible element 3 such as a steel tape or cable which has been previously formed into a helix or screwthread convolution, and which tends to resume this form immediately that it emerges from tubular member I through aperture I at thecurved end portion I as described hereinafter. Close to said aperture 4 a lug 5 provided with slot 6 is mounted on the end portion I of tubular member I. is a hook I. A chain, -8, is detachably connected at one end thereof to hook I and at the other to a connecting rod 9 which, in turn, is joined by means of spring III to the lower or straight end portion of tubular member I, for example, by

means of an arm Il extending from member I. Rod 2 is provided with handle I2 preferably slidably guided in guide slot I3 of tube I. Tube I terminates at support I4.

The device constituting the subject matter of this invention, as above described, is operated as follows: Tubular member I is introduced sideways Attached to the free end tape or cable 3 betweenadjacent boiler tubes of a group of I5, then rotated-degrees whereupon its curved end portion I .rests uponand partially surrounds the exterior surface of the tube'in Jt'liefgroup I5 that is to Ebecleahed. Handle I.2 occupies the position shown by the dottedlines in Fig." 6 and the end of hook I is lodged in slot 6 of lug 5. By movement of handle I2 to the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 6, in the direction of the arrow (likewise shown in full line) rod 2 is moved within tube I forcing tape or cable 3 to emerge from aperture 4. As tape or cable 3 emerges from tubular member I it assumes or recuperates the helical form previously impressed upon it, and curls around the tube I5, to be cleaned, after which stage chain 8 is connected to hook I. By an alternate motion of handle I2 in the opposite directions shown by arrows in Fig. 6, chain '8 will occupy successively on tube I5 the position of tape or chain 3, producing a rubbing or scraping of the surface of tube I5, through tension caused by spring IIIjthus effecting removal of soot accumulated thereon.

This device can also be used for the sole purpose of winding a chain around tube I5. For example, by operating lever handle I2 in the direction indicated by the dotted arrow (Fig. 6) cable 3 may be pulled into curved end I of the tube. This will cause chain 8 to wrap around tube I5. Once this is accomplished, the tubular member I may be rotated 90 degrees, and pulled, thus forcing it to drag along, hooked to lug I, said chain 8. Chain 8 may then be disengaged from hook 'I and, as said chain is sufficiently long, both its ends will drop loosely Within easy reach of the operator who by merely pulling alternately on its ends can provoke a scraping action adequate for cleaning or de-sootin-g the tube.

Having thus described the invention and the manner of operating it, it i evident that several variations may be made without departing from the substantial idea of the invention as embodied in the following claims.

' I claim:

1. A device for cleaning the exterior surface of tubes, such as boiler tubes, comprising,v in combination, a longitudinally extending tubular member having a substantially straight portion and a curved end portion, said tubular member being adapted to pass between adjacent tubes and said end portion, when said tubular member is turned about its longitudinal axis, being adapted to fit around a surface portion of the one of said tubes to be cleaned, a rod movably disposed within said straight portion and a flexible cable one end thereof being connected to one end of said rod and being movableinto and out of said end por tion of said tubular member upon movement of said rod in opposite directions, said cable being resilient and preformed to assume the shape of a I V helix and adapted to surround said tube when said cable is moved out of said tubular member,the diameter of said helix being greater than that of said tubular member.

'2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the end portion of said tubular member opposite said curved end portion has a longitudinal slot, and

in which a handle extends through said slot and is slidably guided therein said handle being securedrto the rod for actuating the same;

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which a her having a straight portion and a curved end 7 means is moved out of said end portion, and

chain has one end thereof detachably connected a to the free end of the cable after said cable is inf position around the tube to be cleaned, said chain being adapted to be moved around said tubewin opposite directions by corresponding movement of said cable, whereby said chain is adapted to scrape the exterior surface of said tube. r p I 4. A. device for cleaning the exterior surface of tubes, such as 'boiler tubes, comprising in combination a longitudinally extending hollow memchain detachably connected to said hook means,

- 6 when the flexible means is in position around the means for moving said slidablemeans.

5. The deviceas claimed in claim 4, in which 7 the slidable means is rigidly connected to one end of said flexible means, hook means mounted on the opposite end of said flexible means, and a tube, movement of said flexible means inopposite directions causing similar movement of said chain around said tube, whereby said chain isadapted to clean said surface of said tube. f e

J siis PALAZUELOS MARURI, 

